Cops need to be more sensitive in rape cases: Experts
They were addressing a webinar organised by the Social Thinkers Forum, Ludhiana.
Expressing deep anguish over the increasing number of cases of violence against women, the experts while addressing a webinar organised by the Social Thinkers Forum Ludhiana strongly opined that there is an urgent need to change the feudal psychology and patriarchal value system in the society so as to give appropriate respect to women.
They said that the role of the state government is very important in such situations for speedy justice to the victim. Therefore, the police have to act professionally without any duress from the political masters, they added.
Mitter Sen Meet, the former district attorney said that there are several laws pertaining to violence against women. “But their implementation is very faulty. As a result, the accused go scot-free and the conviction rate is very less. The investigation done by the police is centered on the victim including her medical examination and questioning. Ironically, no medical examination is done of the accused which is very important to ascertain the truth in case of sexual violence,” he said.
Dr Param Saini while speaking on the psychological impact of such crimes said, “Our police are highly insensitive in such cases.” She found that their training to question the victim is totally faulty and biased in most of the cases. “They move with the presumption that the woman is not speaking truth particularly if she is from a socially, culturally, and economically backward community. This hurts the victim hard and she is further pushed into extreme mental trauma which sometimes forces her to commit suicide,” she said.
Gurcharan Kaur Kocher, president of Punjab Istri Sabha Ludhana expressed deep concern at the rising violence against women and wished for a societal upsurge against such elements. Deepak Kumar, general secretary of All India Students Federation Ludhiana (AISF) said that they are trying to organise students on such issues with positive inclination. Arun Mitra convener of the forum said that they will try to take this issue to the ground level.
Co-convenor MS Bhatia said that it is not a women’s issue but an issue of the whole society and all have to work in unison to address it.
